A Wish Your Heart Makes
by Empress of the Eclipse
Summary: When Matt passed out with cold in 'Sub-Zero Icepunch!' what did he dream? TAITO!


A Wish Your Heart Makes... By the Empress of the Eclipse  
  
Disclaimer - Digimon isn't mine. The title is a quote nicked from somebody but I don't have a clue who from (possibly Shakespeare). The Master says it in Buffy but it's not original, I know that. This is my idea of what Matt might have been dreaming in 'Subzero Ice-Punch' which is the second biggest Taito episode in Season 1. Surrealism and symbolism galore. Actually, it's way stranger than I was expecting it to be but never mind. And TAITO! Shounen-ai aka m/m slash.  
  
Matt sat in the cave, worrying.  
  
It wasn't right. He should be the one out there looking for TK. TK was his little brother. It wasn't right! He had to look after TK, it was his job, the only thing he was any good for.  
  
Matt got to his feet. Another coughing fit briefly doubled him over but he ignored it completely. Leaving the warmth of the fire and the safety of the cave, he stumbled back out into the storm.  
  
"TK!" he shouted "TK!"  
  
His voice echoed mockingly back at him. Matt gritted his teeth and started walking, fighting against the snow.  
  
Another coughing fit overcame him. Grabbing the nearest tree, he used it to support himself. Stupid cold! He'd always had something of a weak chest. It was such a pain. But he couldn't let it slow him down! He had to find TK!  
  
"TK!"  
  
There was still no reply. Matt continued to walk though the snow, yelling TK's name every now and then. He felt dizzy and was shivering violently. It was so cold...  
  
Suddenly, he found himself lying on the snow. A gust of wind had knocked him off his feet. He half heartedly struggled to his feet but was knocked over again at once. He tried to get up but his arms wouldn't work. It felt so good to lie down, he was so tired....  
  
Matt closed his eyes and sank into a deep deadly sleep, not feeling the cold snow blowing over him.  
  
* * * *  
  
It was cold.  
  
That was the first thing Matt noticed. He was cold, a bitter chill that spread right down from his head to the tips of his toes. He was sitting on the floor shivering. Looking round, he saw that he was lying in a corridor. Everything was made of ice. The floor, the walls, the ceiling. The walls were mostly made of black ice with no distorted reflections but everything else was just ice, varying in colour. Slowly, Matt stood up. Strangely enough, the ice wasn't slippery, made quite a solid floor. It was very thick but Matt could see some places where he didn't think it would take his weight. He began to walk along the corridor, avoiding the unstable patches. It seemed endless and scary. Matt was still shivering with cold but it seemed perfectly normal. There wasn't anything sinister about the strange ice house and there was nothing different about the cold that filled his body. It didn't bother him at all. He kept walking until he reached a staircase.  
  
"Hey Matt."  
  
It was TK. He was sitting there smiling. In front of him was a chess board with a half completed game of chess on it.  
  
"Aren't you a bit young for chess?" Matt asked puzzled.  
  
"I won't be soon," TK said.  
  
To Matt's greater confusion, he noticed that the figures were little models of them.   
  
"Are the others here?" Matt asked, glancing round. Behind TK's head, he saw Gabumon. He was staring out of the ice, looking a bit sad. He looked like he was carved into the wall. Like Han Solo in carbonite. Matt looked at him, a little confused.  
  
"Of course not," TK said "You haven't let them in."  
  
"Let them in?" Matt said "Why don't they come in themselves?"  
  
TK shrugged.  
  
"You know you have to let them in," he said "But you've not even let Gabumon in properly. I have to play chess by myself. The fish won't."  
  
For the first time, Matt spotted a bowl of goldfish next to TK. They splashed their tails at him and hid behind seaweed.  
  
"I can play chess with you," Matt said.  
  
"You won't," TK said sounding sad "It makes you go away."  
  
Matt gave his little brother a confused look. TK gave him a small smile then looked down at the chess board again muttering   
  
"Okay, black moved that bishop so I should move this knight but if I move the house...I mean castle..."  
  
Matt slowly walked down the stairs, leaving TK behind him. The place was still made of ice. Everything he saw was made of ice or snow. Glancing into one room, he saw that it was a perfect replica of his bedroom at home, perfectly sculpted in ice.   
  
Shrugging, he continued walking though the ice house. A snowy white cat bounded out of one room, making him jump. The cat gave him a scornful look and then bounded off. Matt blinked in confusion and then continued walking though the twisty corridors and passages.  
  
"Hey Matt!"  
  
It was Sora. She waved at him though a window.  
  
"Hey," Matt said uncertainly.  
  
"Don't you find it creepy locked up in the big ice palace?" Sora asked "I'd be scared out of my mind! And it looks so lonely."  
  
"It's not so bad," Matt said "I'm used to it I guess."  
  
Sora just raised an eyebrow. Matt wondered why she didn't believe him. He was happy enough in his ice house.  
  
"Where are the others?" he asked.  
  
"Oh, they're okay," Sora said easily "Izzy's on his laptop somewhere. He's using some special link-up with these black cable things so he can cyber-chat with Elvis Presley. Mimi's playing dress-ups with Palmon. You know Mimi, always wants to be a princess! Joe's keeping an eye on her. Responsible as always!"  
  
"What about Tai?" Matt asked.  
  
"He's about," Sora said "He said to give you these."  
  
She shoved a bunch of forget-me-nots at him.  
  
"Nice," Matt said uncertainly. As he watched, the flowers wilted in his hands.  
  
"Anyway, I gotta go!" Sora said "I need to buy some garlic to keep the vampires away! See ya!"  
  
Matt watched her run away from the window feeling a little confused. Then he shrugged and kept walking, dropping the dead flowers as he did.  
  
He found himself at a dead end, staring into a mirror. The mirror had a black frame and the glass resembled very clear ice. His face looked strange. His lips were slightly blue, his face pale. Frost covered his cheeks, his eyelashes, his hair. His clothes were covered with a thin sheet of ice with moved when he did, like a suit of armour. He was wearing a lot of clothes, probably to keep the cold out. They weren't really working but it didn't matter. He was wearing too many though, they'd probably get on his nerves soon. It was strange though, despite having too many clothes on, he wasn't wearing any shoes at all. His feet were burningly cold because of it. He looked younger than usual. He'd never seen himself so cold before.  
  
Shrugging, Matt turned away. It wasn't really important.  
  
Then he turned back. Reaching out, he traced his fingers over the glass. To his surprise, it cracked under his fingertips, distorting the reflection. Shaking his head, Matt turned again.  
  
"Matt!"  
  
Turning he saw a sheet of thin ice where there had just been a normal wall. Tai was standing on the other side, his hands pressed against the ice. He looked almost as strange as Matt did even though he wasn't covered in frost. His eyes were darker than usual, his lips slightly fuller, his face slightly more chiselled. Matt got the funny impression that Tai should have been there earlier.  
  
"Tai!" Matt said "Where have you been?"  
  
"Outside," Tai said "C'mon Matt, let me in."  
  
"I'm not stopping you," Matt said. He felt happy to see Tai but at the same time, there was a funny feeling in his chest, a strange tightness. Almost a fear.  
  
Tai gave him a patient stare.  
  
"You know you are," he said "Come on, let me in."  
  
"I don't know how," Matt said, staring at the ice. The fear was intensifying. He couldn't let Tai in, it was dangerous to let anyone in his house...  
  
"You do," Tai said "You've let TK in. You've nearly let Gabumon in." "I don't think I understand," Matt said.  
  
Tai shrugged.  
  
"I can't help with that," he said "You just have to decide if you want to let me in or not."  
  
Matt stared at the ice. He shivered violently.  
  
"Are you cold?" Tai asked. His voice sounded dreamy, like he wasn't really concentrating. He'd been sounding like that since the conversation started Matt realised. He didn't really mind though. It was nice. Relaxing.  
  
"A bit."  
  
He was surprised to realise that it was true. The cold was bothering him now, not like it had before. He wanted to get rid of it, wanted to be warm. But it was impossible, he'd always been cold.  
  
"Let me in," Tai whispered.  
  
Matt wanted Tai there, wanted him desperately. He was so cold....  
  
Matt reached into his pocket uncertainly. His fingers touched iron and he produced a key. He touched it to the ice where Tai's hand was resting. The ice blurred and Matt could hear a strange thumping sound from somewhere. He felt very dizzy all of a sudden. Tai stepped though the gap.  
  
"Thanks," he said softly, staring at Matt. Reaching out, he brushed some of the frost off Matt's cheeks. His fingers felt hot making Matt start away.  
  
"Tai, what's going on?" Matt asked "What is this place?"  
  
"You know," Tai said quietly.  
  
"I don't," Matt said.   
  
Tai ignored this remark. Reaching up, he took Matt's face in his hands, staring into Matt's eyes. Matt stared back, not wanting to look away. It was strange, Tai seemed taller than Matt even though this wasn't true.   
  
"You've grown," Matt said puzzled.  
  
"No," Tai said "I've always been this size."  
  
Matt shrugged. It did make sense but...  
  
Tai blew softly, his breath warm on Matt's face.  
  
"What are you doing?" Matt said, his voice barely above a whisper.  
  
"Warming you up," Tai whispered back.  
  
Matt could feel the ice melting as Tai continued to blow. He closed his eyes, relaxing in Tai's grip. A strange feeling of unfamiliar warmth spread though him and he opened his eyes again. He and Tai were standing on a gravel path, looking around. A strong wind was blowing, ruffling their hair. The path was lined with flowering plum and pine trees. Matt's clothes felt cumbersome now, like he was wearing too many. He wanted to take them off but once again there was a strange fear.  
  
"Where are we?" he asked, the feelings of fear coming over him even more. It was open, exposed. He didn't like it.  
  
"Don't worry," Tai said "I'll protect you."  
  
"I'm not afraid," Matt said uncertainly.  
  
Tai simply smiled.  
  
"Aren't those clothes bothering you?" he asked gently.  
  
"I guess..." Matt's voice trailed off uncertainly.  
  
Tai just looked at him.  
  
"Don't be afraid," he said quietly.  
  
Matt just shrugged. He wasn't taking off anything, even if he was wearing too much. What he did want was a pair of shoes. The gravel was cutting into his feet. He saw that Tai was looking at him and shrugged again. Tai shrugged back and to Matt's surprise, he wrapped an arm around Matt's waist and gently started leading him along the path.  
  
"Where are we going?" Matt asked.  
  
"Only you know that," Tai said.  
  
A girl was sitting hunched by a pond looking pensive.  
  
"Isn't that Kari?" Matt asked.  
  
Tai glanced.  
  
"Oh yeah," he said "She'll be along soon I guess."  
  
They continued down the gravel path, out from the lines of trees. A cluster of dragonflies flew away as they past. A clown was showing a bunch of small children tricks. He was waving a white cloth and producing keychains out of mid-air. The children laughed and clapped as the clown finished.  
  
"Who are they?" Matt asked.  
  
"Nobody," Tai replied.  
  
A small white cat ran across the path in front of them.  
  
"I saw her earlier," Matt said.  
  
Tai offered no comment but led Matt further along the path. Some girl ran up to them. She whispered something in Tai's ear and Tai laughed. Matt was startled by the wave of jealously that swept over him. Jealous? He had no reason to be jealous. He watched the girl run off.  
  
They were approaching some woods now.  
  
"Where are the others?" Matt asked.  
  
"Around," Tai said "Everywhere."  
  
That didn't make sense and Matt said so. Tai simply laughed and led him nearer the woods. A fog was coming up around them, making the woods look sinister. Matt stopped.  
  
"I don't think I want to go in there," Matt said slowly.  
  
"Of course you don't," Tai said "That's the point. But you have to. There's not much choice."  
  
"Why not?" Matt asked.  
  
"Things change," Tai said simply.   
  
He released Matt gently and backed away.  
  
"Where are you going?" Matt said, his voice rising in panic "Come back!"  
  
"I can't," Tai said "You want to go alone."  
  
"No!"  
  
"This'll help you," Tai said. He pressed a candle into Matt's hands.  
  
"Tai....don't go...."  
  
"I'll be waiting," Tai said. He was fading now, his image blurring "On the other side."  
  
Then he was gone, and Matt was standing alone.  
  
"I'm always alone," he whispered bitterly.  
  
He slowly began to walk though the trees. At first it was okay but it was getting darker and darker. The trees were hunched over, sinister looking. The candle's flame was wavering, made the place even more scary. Matt began jumping at the shadows.   
  
"I wish I'd just stayed in the ice house!" he whispered, near tears "I'm scared out here!"  
  
He kept tripping over roots and sticks. It really, really hurt his feet. He could see blood on them. It was so dark in the forest, so scary. Matt gulped. He sure that the trees were watching him, mocking him.  
  
"Stop it," he ordered one of them.  
  
He was sure that it laughed. Taking another step, he fell head-first into a pool of water. Angrily, Matt struggled out, desperately wanting to punch somebody. Naturally, Tai came to mind. Only Tai wasn't there.  
  
Or was he? Staring into the pool, Matt saw Tai's face staring back at him.  
  
"Tai?"  
  
The reflected image said nothing, just stared up at him. Furious, Matt punched at it. All that happened was his fist went through the water. Half sobbing with rage and fear, Matt struggled though the forest debris. It seemed to be thickening, it was so hard to walk though.   
  
He suddenly realised that he was sinking, slowly but surely.  
  
"NO!" he yelled "Help me!"  
  
But there was no one there. Matt desperately kicked, trying to get out of the shifting mass of debris that surrounded him. Tears were beginning to run down his face. He suddenly spotted a scorpion just inches from his face. He jerked backwards, still struggling.  
  
"TAI!" he shouted "Help me!"  
  
Suddenly, something brushed against his head. Matt screamed and tried to bat it away. It fluttered back. It was a nightingale. It stared at him out of black beady eyes. Then it fluttered off down the path. Suddenly, the debris was clear. Matt ran after the nightingale, needing to follow something. The nightingale fluttered though the trees, singing softly. Then it vanished. But Matt didn't mind. He could see stars. Running forwards, he shot out of the woods and fell into Tai's arms.  
  
"Tai!"  
  
Tai smiled at him. He had some strange bruises on his face but looked okay.  
  
"I never doubted you for a second Matt," he said gently, hugging Matt tightly.  
  
"Thank you," Matt said "Thank you."  
  
Tai gently tilted his face up towards him. As Matt stared up at him, puzzled, Tai leaned down and kissed him. Matt paused and then relaxed into Tai's arms. He felt so warm and safe there...  
  
Then Tai let him go. A wave of cold swept over Matt, violently.  
  
"Tai?"  
  
Tai just smiled. Matt felt a strange rushing sensation. He was shivering, his teeth chattering violently. He opened his eyes. A dream. He'd been dreaming.  
  
There was a rush as something was pulled off him. Fur. Gabumon's fur to be exact.  
  
"Gabumon?" he said, feeling confused "Yo - you took off your fur for me."  
  
"Um, yeah," the digimon said "I'm glad to see you're up and feeling...." he broke off to sneeze violently "...better..."  
  
'He took off his fur to help me' Matt thought confusedly. What was he supposed to say? He wasn't used to people helping him, doing nice things. What did you say?  
  
"Hey," he said weakly "You took off your fur, now you have my cold. Bet you look pretty funny without your fur on huh?" He laughed a bit nervously, then mumbled "Thanks."  
  
"It was nothing," Gabumon said before sneezing again.  
  
Before Matt could say anything else, a voice echoed though.  
  
"Matt! Where are you?"  
  
"It's Tai!" Matt said.  
  
He raced out of the cave, running thought the snow until he saw the dark-haired boy running towards him.  
  
"Matt!"  
  
"Tai!"  
  
Matt reached out instinctively, wanting to hug him but Tai caught hold of his hands grinning at him. Matt was happy enough just for the contact. He grinned at Tai happily.  
  
Around them, the ice began to melt, gently dripping in the morning sun.  
  
The End.  
  
Okay, okay, I know, completely bizarre. But review anyway? Please? 


End file.
